Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Toyota Previa, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Vehicle speed control4
- Engine and engine cooling4
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Seat belts1
- Unknown or other1
- Fuel system, gasoline1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 Toyota Previa failed the safety check 0.00% of the time — 100% less often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 194,623 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
62 cars built in 1997 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 168 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 123 of these cars first registered in 1997 took their annual MOT test. 59% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 1997 the figure was 64%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 1997 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 19.5% | 16.1% |
| Suspension | 17.9% | 12.2% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 13.0% | 7.2% |
| Brakes | 12.2% | 11.8% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 9.8% | 9.7% |
| Visibility | 8.1% | 6.6% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In New Zealand
32 1997 cars are on the New Zealand register.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 13.5–14.3 L/100 km (about 16–17 mpg US), CO₂ 311–329 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Previa # · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 14.9 | 11.8 | 13.5 |
| Previa 4X4 # · Minivan · Regular gasoline | 15.7 | 12.6 | 14.3 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1997 Toyota Previa.
| 1997082 14 Apr 1997 | Powertrain On certain Previa 4WD vehicles, clearance between the oil separator plate and the differential housing of the front differential unit could cause oil leakage at… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
DUE TO A CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE OIL SEPARATOR PLATE AND THE DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING OF THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL UNIT, OIL LEAKAGE AT THE AIR BREATHER PLUG CAN OCCUR, WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED CONTINUOUSLY ABOVE 75 MILES PER HOUR.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Toyota told its dealers about the 1997 Toyota Previa: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 627273 | INFORMATION REGARDING ALL TRAC FRONT DIFFERENTIAL. *YD |
| 627195 | SUBJECT REGARDING SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR TAPE SET. *YD |
| 621324 | SUBJECT REGARDING OWNER RENOTIFICATION ON NON-COMPLETED SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGNS. *TT |
| 616104 | SUBJECT REGARDING EQUIPMENT DRIVE SHAFT COUPLING KIT INSTALLATION. *TT |
| 616058 | EQUIPMENT DRIVE SHAFT COUPLING KIT INSTALLATION. *TT |
| 605351 | BRIEF INFORMATION REGARDING IMPROVED REAR A/C MAGNETIC VALVE TO REDUCE INTERNAL VALVE CORROSION. *TT |
| 604667 | SUBJECT REGARDING TOYOTA DINGHY TOWING GUIDE. *TT |
| 53040 | A NEW STYLE MASTER CYLINDER WITH AN INTEGRATED PROPORTIONING AND BY-PASS VALVE. *YC |
| 53033 | EXCESSIVE AIR CONDITIONING EVAPORATOR ODOR IS ACCURING IN VARIOUS VEHICLES. *YC |
| 10244113 | TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2023 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate. |
| 10207946 | POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground and spare tires currently in use by Toyota. This information must be kept near the point of vehicle sale and be available to any customer that requests it. Customers can find this information on the Owner?s section of Toyota.com. Dealers can locate a copy of this guide on the Claims Processing & Resource Center in Dealer Daily as well. |
| 10197476 | Replacement vin plates. |
| 10197473 | Product general information. |
| 10190460 | Toyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements |
| 10188913 | TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2021 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate. |
| 10174891 | TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 07, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0032-20. Replacement Certification Labels and VIN Plates |
| 10174890 | TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, PG006-01, PG004-97, T-SB-0144-08, and T-SB-0304-17. The aforementioned bulletins are obsolete, and any printed versions should be discarded. Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2020 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in thi |
| 10152205 | TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes SB No. T-SB-0101-11. Applicability has been updated to include 2016 ? 2017 model year vehicles. Service Bulletin No. T-SB-0101-11 is Obsolete and any printed versions should be discarded. Be sure to review the entire content of this bulletin before proceeding. When servicing interior electrical switches and components, please note the precautions in this bulletin to avoid damaging electrical components and switches. Many lubricants, cleaners, and automotive chemicals contain silicone or other compounds that may |
| 10145776 | Update on Technician Certification Requirements. |
| 10145749 | Technical Service Bulletin: OBSOLETE NOTICE: July 31, 2018: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0304-17. |
| 10145748 | Technical Service Bulletin: OBSOLETE NOTICE: July 31, 2018: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0304-17. |
| 10143953 | TSB: REVISION NOTICE July 31, 2018 Rev2: ? The Supersession Notice has been updated. January 11, 2018 Rev1: ? The Supersession Notice has been updated. Any previous printed versions of this bulletin should be discarded. SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, PG006-01, PG004-97, and T-SB-0144-08. Service Bulletin Nos. PG021-88, PG015-89, PG0015-90, PG002-91, PG002-93, PG005-97, PG007-01, PG007-07, PG006-01, PG004-97, and T-SB-0144-08 are obsolete and any prin |
| 10133915 | Toyota vehicles are equipped with SRS, including various airbags and in some models, seat belt pre-tensioners, to help reduce the risk of injury in a collision. If a customer expresses any concerns that the SRS airbags or pretensioner devices did not perform as expected, please follow the steps in the recommendations section below. |
| 10133649 | TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE November 21, 2017: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0304-17. |
| 10132812 | Tech Tip: Low battery voltage can contribute to a MIL "ON" condition for P0335 (Crankshaft Position Sensor Circuit) and/or P0340 (Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit) due to inconsistent rotational speed of the engine's crankshaft. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)